Survival for Love
by ninetailfox89
Summary: What if Jack and Kim had to go through the deadlist survival game? Battle Royale (about inside). What will they do when they are forced to kill one another and their biology classmates? Will they find love before their farewell? Read to find out! Note: I don't own the idea of 'Battle Royale' just the plot. I don't own the characters from Kickin' It! Rated M for gruesomeness.
1. About the real Battle Royale

**History about Battle Royale:**

**Forty-two students, three days, one deserted Island: welcome to Battle Royale. A group of ninth-grade students from a Japanese high school have been forced by legislation to compete in a Battle Royale. The students are each given a bag with a randomly selected weapon and a few rations of food and water and sent off (with a silver exploding color) to kill each other in a no-holds-barred (with a few minor rules) game to the death, which means that the students have three days to kill each other until one survives-or they all die. (Not written by me btw)**

**So think about this as 'The Hunger Games'. That's techinqually the general plot. **

**I know, it might be a little too much but I was wondering what if Jack and Kim had to go through something like this? **

**I hope you guys would like it, I mean, it's a little something new, ya know?**

**Remember this through the whole story: I don't own the idea of 'Battle Royale' just the plot. I don't own the characters from Kickin' It, just my OCs!**

**-ninetailfox56**


	2. Characters

**Names of participants:**

**Girls:****  
**

Taylor Anderson

Heather Brice

Lilian Brown

Stephine Cad

Kimberly Crawford

Cayla Fontana

Kiara Heartly

Evanna Hope

Ester Martin

Cassandra McCoy

Hailena Moore

Jessica Newburg

Ashley Nguyen

Anika Park

Piper Oscars

Marigold Smith

Winter Tsang

Donna Tobin

Kelsey Varges

Grace Willson

Willow Yao

**Boys:**_  
_

Chad Alameda

Coleman Beach

Jackson Brewer

Jayden Buckway

Adolpho Cruz

Kiyoshi Dinh

Daren Filko

Toby Heartly

Shawn Henderson

Noah Jennings

Edward Jones

Austin Kail

Milton Krupnick

Huang Lam

Jerry Martinez

Phoenix Noelle

Basil Reach

Brian Reach

Kaiden Takahashi

Drago Yin

Dion Zheng


	3. 42 Students in Running

**1**

As the sun started it's way to bed on a typical Saturday in Tokyo, Japan, it's firey fingers reached out and touched sides of the tall buildings. Families of all different numbers enjoyed their afternoon at parks, little did they notice the huge bus filled with forty-two students from Seaford, California laughing and messing around.

They had just arrived in Tokyo this morning and now heading towards their 'hotel'. None of them knew what was ahead for them. None of them even cared about anything. (They are, after all, on a free trip in one of the most beautiful city in the world.)

Inside the noisy party bus, Donna Tobin (Girl #18) playfully pushed Ester Martin (Girl #7) as Donna teased her about her crush on the new transfer, Drago Yin (Boy #20), who had his head resting on the window and trying to catch some sleep, a little annoyed with the girls giggling around him.

"Yo, Jack! This one's yours!" Jerry Martinez (Boy #15) yelled as he threw an orange over his head to one of his best friends across the isle.

Jackson Brewer (Boy #3) easily caught the orange without much effort.

"You know, Kim's asleep and if you wake her up, she's gonna kill you," Jack tilted his head towards the blonde sleeping next to him.

Kimberly Crawford (Girl #5) stirred but didn't wake. Jack blushed as he watched the blonde goddess lightly snore. He's her best friend and they literally grew up with each other. Kim (hate being called Kimberly) has a very unique personality. She could be a stupid blonde at times, but others, she's the smartest girl you have ever met especially since she has straight A's. Kim is a third degree blackbelt in karate and taekwondo.

Jack smiled before turning around back at his hispanic friend. Jerry is a brown belt in karate and has a very, well, stupid personality. Stupid meaning he doesn't catch things right away or gets confused about everything. Despite his personality, Jerry is a loyal friend and fun to have around.

"Yeah, you wouldn't want Kim to chase you again, and especially on a bus, too," Eddie Jones (Boy #11) piped up from behind Jack and Kim's bench.

Eddie Jones is an African-American who moved to Seaford when he was about three. He is also good friends with Jack, Kim, and Jerry. He's a blue belt in karate and will soon move on to kung fu. Eddie, really, is everywhere. He doesn't have a specific personality to be described, but he's still a kid at heart. (He did think that babies come from pumpkin patches once.)

"Hey guys! Guess what? I just got accepted into the Summer Camp for Science!" Milton Krupnick (Boy #13) yelled.

Milton is a nerd. However, he is a nerd with self-defense. He's a green belt in karate. Milton is the type of guy who believes in teamwork will always save your life. (Also with a tendency to say Gah! when things refuse to go his way.)

Jack, Kim, Jerry, Milton, and Eddie. Five freshmen from Seaford High School, on a free Biology trip in Tokyo. Five who trust one another with their lives and will protect each other at any cause (even at the price of their own.) This gang has a name.

And that name is the Wasabi Warriors.

Though there were only five members (counting their Sensei Rudy), they are stronger than the International Manchester United soccer team of England. Their loyalty to one another, can never be cut.

The bus bounced a little, causing Kim to open her eyes and groan.

"Morning, Kimmy!" Jack yelled.

Kim, hating that name too, hit him across the head, "I already told you don't call me that!"

"Sorry!" sobbed Jack, as he pretended to rub his head in pain.

Jerry immediately started talking to her about how stupid she looked when she was asleep and the two argued a little. (Though Kim won with a reach-over-Jack and smacked Jerry across the head.)

Jack's mouth curved their way into a smle. Kim has always had a nasty temper and only Jerry had experienced most of its rewards.

The bus then rolled its way into a dark tunnel; only lit by few orange lights.

Jack was passing the time, talking with his friends when he noticed a little change in Jerry.

Instead of his joyful self, his hispanic friend looked a little dazed and maybe a little drunk.

"Jerry, you alright, man?" asked Jack.

No reply.

Instead, Jerry collasped, over the arm rest, and landed face first onto the isle. He only groaned in pain once before not even moving overall. (He's still breathing though)

"Jerry!" yelled the hispanic kid's friend as Jack tried to prowl Jerry back into life.

One-by-one, other bodies collasped everywhere like dead flies and the blackbelt spun wildly around. Students laid all over the bus (even the floors) unconscious.

"Kim!" turning around, Jack jumped at his crush and tried shaking her awake, "Wake up! Wake up! Please wake up!" Jack kept shaking her.

She only groaned but her eyes didn't open.

Jack heard somebody banging against one of the windows. He looked up and saw the new transfer student, Kaiden Takahashi (Boy #19) trying to pry the window open to let in some air.

"Dammit!" he yelled as he too fell over and lost concious.

Jack slowly felt dizzy as well. He looked up and saw the bus driver glaring at him through the rear view mirror. The bus driver looked a little different.

He's wearing a gas mask.

The driver attendent lady (whatever you called them) silently walked up to Jack as he and their bus driver had a little staredown.

She held up the bo staff in her hand and brought it down until it came in contact with Mr. Brewer's head. Hard enough to knock him out, but not hard enough to either kill him or give him any mental issue.

Jack turned around and caught a glimspe at her face. She was a middle age woman, about twenty-one, he presumed before the dizziness and the pain in his head turned his vision blank and he also joined a majority of his classmates on the bus floor with one simple question/thought,

_What the fuck is going on here?_

* * *

_**42 students in running.**_


	4. 41 Students in Running

**2**

Being in many bo staff related tournament, Jack has been hit on the head many times. (Once resulting in his memory lost) but the sleeping gas had already had him woozy.

The boy had woken up earlier on, however he didn't have enough energy to keep his eyelids open. He did manage to see a masked man but his eyes closed all too soon and he fell back into a dreamless slumber.

Jack finally woke up again. This time, most of the sleeping gas had lost its touch and he was able to clear his head. He looked around and couldn't see or make anything out.

Jack guessed he was sitting at a desk attached to a table. He saw light flashing through what he assumed as the blinds. He heard something move and a soft groan from his right. Jack felt his whole body freeze with fright.

"Who's there?" he barked.

"Jack? Is that you?" Kim's voice sent relief through him and defrosted the fear. Kim's safe and sound; none of those creepy mask dudes had laid a finger on her.

"Yes, it's me," answered Jack, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible for Kim's sake.

"What's going on, Jack? Why is it so dark? And what the heck is around my neck?" asked Jack's best friend.

Brewer lifted his finger up to his neck and felt something cold to the touch. Something along the line of silver but had a little screen on it or something.

"I don't know but it's on my neck, too," assured Jack. _Like we're dogs._

All around the two, other moans and groans came and ruffling. Kim seemed to be helping Jayden Buckway (Boy #4) as he got up.

Jack heard Stephanie Cad (Girl #4) as she scratched her head in confusion.

Suddenly, the light came on. All the students turned to the front, some still blinking sleep out of their eyes.

In came a man about forty years old and a woman…

_That's the same lady that knocked the living daylights out of me!_ Jack felt himself bristle with anger as she walked in with a smile on her face as if nothing had happened.

The man, on the other hand, had smooth black hair combed back. He was Japanese and was wearing a nice suit. The lady had long brown hair with red highlights at their tip and she too was Japanese. She was dressed in a business skirt and red blouse.

What really set some of the students to an unease was two soldiers followed the closely, each carrying a rifle. They were probably twins because Jack can't really see any difference in them. They had on camouflage.

"Welcome," the man spoke with a huge smile on his plastic face, "Freshmen of Seaford High. Welcome."

"What's going on?" Taylor Anderson, (Girl #1) stood up and demanded in front of Jack. "Why are we here? And who the heck are you people?!"

"Questions, questions," the guy shook his head in amusement; his scary smile never left his face.

"Taylor Anderson isn't it?" he looked up at her as she slowly nodded. "Speak up that way again, and I'm afraid my bodyguard here will have to hurt you."

The soldier on the right held his gun up and pointed it straight at her face. Jack could tell that she was probably as pale as snow.

"So sit down and be a good little girl," the dude continued. "And this goes out to the rest of you all. If you wish to speak, please raise your hand and wait to be called on, thank you."

Taylor slammed her butt down and stayed quiet as Righty (soldier on the right) lowered his gun to his side.

"Well let me answer your questions backward," the dude continued.

Jack was able to survey the room a little closer. They were in a normal classroom for math or English. There was a whiteboard in front and his classmates sat in ABC order boy girl boy girl in a six by seven formation. The windows were closed and the only door was shut and Jack assumed locked.

"First off: I'm Tatsuo Hishi and this beautiful lady standing next to me is Yuchiro Kawakawa. The soldiers are Kido and Nichi. As you can tell, they're twins."

Jack can still tell his classmates where still at ease and so far, he hates this Tatsuo's guts. His eyes never left Yuchiro anyway.

"Second, you are here to save America from going into war with Japan. The president himself has volunteered your class into The Program," continued Tatsuo.

Kim had raised her hand right as Tatsuo had finished.

"Ahh, yes, Kimberly Crawford," he said. "What is your question?"

"What is 'The Program'?" she asked, as politely as she could but Jack can tell she wants to punch the guy in the face.

Tatsuo's smirk widen as he turned to the far back, "Would you like to answer that, Kaiden Takahashi?"

Jack could hear Kaiden groan before speaking a clear voice, "The Program, Kim, is Battle Royale."

Ashley Nguyen (Girl #13) raised her hand, confidently, "What is 'Battle Royale' exactly?"

Now it was Yuchiro's turn to speak, "In BR, a class of 9th grade students is put on a completely deserted island with explosive collars on."

Immediately, students everywhere raised their hands to their neck and felt the cold silver.

Jack have never disliked so many people so fast.

"If they try to take it off, it explodes. If they are in a danger zone, it explodes and any of the people who run the contest can detonate it using a remote, too," Yuchiro smiled as students quickly lowered their hands and some even started shaking.

"However, if there is more than one survivor by the end of the 3 days, all of the collars explode. Each student is given a pack with food, water, a map, a flashlight and most importantly, a weapon. Some get cool weapons (guns), some get average weapons (sharp objects), while others get completely screwed (like a pot lid)," she finished.

Jack and his classmates exchanged looks. Some were pleading, while others were wild and confused. How can anybody murder their classmates?

"Many of you might be wondering, how could you murder somebody that you sat next to three days ago back in Seaford while performing an experiment together," Jack cursed under his breath as Yuchiro read all his thoughts, "But it's either one of you lives and carries out a normal life or none of you, it's up to you."

"Scared now?" Tatsuo burst out laughing.

"Is this some person's sick idea of a joke?" Shawn Henderson (Boy #9) stood up from his seat and yelled. "Because it's sick to the bone to be scaring freshmen with the fact that there are dog collars with an exploding device in them!"

"Yeah!" agreed Marigold Smith (Girl #16).

Tatsuo looked at them, his smirk still there, "Henderson, I wonder if your parents ever taught you to never raise your voice at an adult."

"They did!" Shawn continued to keep his voice high. "But I can use any kind of volume with the lights of you!"

"Well, you probably should have listened," Yuchiro raised a gray remote.

From where Jack was, he couldn't see the buttons but he could tell they were red. She pushed one of them and the class fell silent.

Then all of them heard beeping.

Jack whipped around and saw Shawn's collar beeping a red light. Shawn looked down and started panicking.

"The game hasn't even started yet!" yelled Shawn, now starting to cry.

"Yes it has, but we're the only ones that can kill," answered Hishi.

"Sorry, you probably shouldn't have listened to the warning Taylor got," Kawakawa added.

Shawn tried to pry the collar loose with frantic movements. Without much success, he ran up to Milton who quickly jumped out of the way. He then made his way up to Kim who pushed him into Jayden. Jack leapt to his feet as well. Jack then tried to run to his dying friend as his classmates did their best to clear out of Shawn's way.

_Even though we never really talked, it's wrong to just stand there and watched a fellow classmate die! _Jack thought with anger.

"Brewer! Stay away from him!" Kaiden's voice rang with warning.

"Well, unlike you, I want to help!" yelled Jack to the back of the room where Kaiden and a majority of the class stood. Others just surround the perimeter of the classroom on three sides.

"Listen to me!" Kaiden's eyes showed demand, "if you get near him, he's just gonna explode in your face! There is no way you can stop that collar from exploding once activated!"

Jack blinked his surprise. He turned back to Shawn who was staring back at Jack, still panicking.

Shawn started walking closer to Jack, who quickly retreated until Kim held out an arm to stop him, most of the girls by now started screaming and tears started falling.

Everything was chaotic at the moment.

"Jack, help me! Please!" Shawn pleaded/yelled over the noise (beeping and screaming girls)

But it was too late.

The explosion wasn't big, nor was it loud, but it was strong enough to kill like a gun with a silencer.

Shawn's neck was blown open and blood started gushing out. Most of them landed on Jack's purple plaid shirt. (He was able to cover his face and cover Kim.) Shawn fell to his knees, before falling face-first onto the blood soaked floor. His eyes stared off into nowhere.

The whole classroom was quiet, the screaming stopped though the crying still continued. Shock rippled through everybody.

Jack could feel Kim crying into his back. He was the first to recover so he kneeled in front of his now dead friend.

Shawn was never a stubborn guy nor was he ever this easy to scare. Henderson was a lacrosse player and he really loved it. He never gave up or never frowned. Shawn was the kind of guy that could hide anything.

Jack remember after Heather Brice (Girl #2) had broken up with Shawn three days after their two year anniversary, Shawn never showed anybody he was hurt.

"It was better this way," he had said with a weak smile but not a strong frown.

Jack felt Heather beside him as she crouched over her ex-boyfriend's dead body. Her face was emotionless and her brown eyes just starred at the corpse.

"It was better this way," she repeated his words.

A tear made its way down her cheek, "I have never stopped loving you, Shawn."

Her confession was only loud enough for Jack to hear. She stood up and made her way back to her desk, without another peep.

"You kids better follow the leader otherwise, another one of you could go," Tatsuo held the remote up threatening.

The anger's back as Jack stood up and he glared at Tatsuo.

"Is everything alright, Jackson Brewer?" asked Tatsuo, playing Jack.

"You-" Kim's hand clasped over his mouth and he felt himself being pulled back.

"Shut up or you're gonna be the next one on the floor!" Kim hissed into his ear.

"Play smart, Jack! One stupid move and you lose this chess game," Kaiden's voice added.

Jack freed himself from Kaiden's strong grip. He knew the transfer and his crush were right. If he was killed like Shawn was now, Kim wouldn't have anybody to protect her once the games officially start.

Jack slumped down at his desk while his classmates, slowly followed his lead.

"Now, isn't that a good boy?" Tatsuo chuckled.

_I swear, I'm gonna slaughter that guy,_ Jack thought to himself.

Tatsuo turned around and started sketching something on the whiteboard but Jack was too distracted to figure it out.

He was, after all, sitting next to his friend's blown up corpse.

* * *

_**41 Students in Running**_


	5. 41 Students Still in Running

**3**

As Tatsuo finished off his little sketched of what seems to be an island of some sort, Jack could see Taylor shaking in front of him. He guessed that she was shaking of fear. After all, in a few minutes, the very students in this class would be given a weapon to murder one another until one is left standing.

_It's scary as heck that we're locked in a classroom with two soldiers and at a push of a simple button; we get our throats blown up! _Jack thought, he himself is shaking as well, but not from fear, but from anger.

Angry at being collared like a dog. Angry at Tatsuo for being such a butt and a cocky old man. Angry at Yuchiro for killing one of his classmates right in front of his eyes. Angry at the president for sending a class into a game where only one survivor will come out or none at all (after three days.)

However, something's been bothering him the whole time. How did Kaiden know that there was no possible way to deactivate the collar? How does he know that the program really is Battle Royale? How did he get all this information?

Before Kaiden enrolled at Seaford High, he went to a school of some sort here in Japan. (If they were still in Japan.) Kaiden has a nasty scar behind his ear that cut into his black hairline. Rumors spread right away that he was part of a gang and had been transferred to Seaford as a second chance to start over. Jack didn't believe it. Kaiden seemed too soft to be part of gang of any kind.

Kaiden can be scary at times but he's always there to help those in need so the rumors started to go down and by the time of the birthday of the transfer's third month in America, he took on other activities like playing soccer (soon becoming captain of the soccer team), playing basketball, and playing the guitar.

Jack remembered it wasn't so long ago when he had asked Kaiden to help him with a song he's working on his guitar.

"Jackson Brewer?" Tatsuo freaken annoying voice interrupted Jack's train of thoughts. "Can you answer the question?"

"I'm sorry sir," Jack dared to looked into the man's eyes without flinching, "but your voice was so annoying I learned to ignore you all together."

Gasps flew through the room as students turned their gazes to their challenging classmate. One of the twin soldiers loaded his gun and directed it straight at Brewer's face.

Jack felt fear run through his spine and replaced the anger. With Sean's body still next to him, Jack could only think of luck being his hero and not joining Sean on the floor.

"No, no, lower the gun Kido," snickered Tatsuo. "We want Mr. Jack to continue into the games. It would be more amusing."

Kido scowled but lowered his gun anyway. Jack could tell that he's itching to shoot anybody at anytime for any reason.

"A third degree black belt in karate, second degree in taekwondo and jujitsu, the games will be really interesting," added Yuchiro.

_Nobody asked you to butt in, lady!_ thought Jack as he continued to feel the eyes of his classmates burn into him from all different directions.

"Now, how about we continue on with the rest of the lessons on what is needed?" Tatsuo kept his smirk before turning his back back to the students of Seaford High.

* * *

"Everybody got everything?" Yuchiro asked.

Weary with all the information about forbidden zones and the announcements about the body count of how many students have passed made at nine, six, twelve and repeat for three days straight and the information about their day packs (bread, water bottle and a weapon at random), the students nodded.

As they did, five more soldiers walked in carrying day packs and dropping them on the floor. They turned and exited the classroom without a glance back.

"Good, now how about we have a little coin toss?" Nichi produced a quarter from his pocket and gave it to Tatsuo's stretched out hand.

"If it's heads, we go girls first then boys, if tails, visa versa," explained the Jerk. (Jack's label for Tatsuo through the lessons.)

Jack felt his breath catch in his throat as Tatsuo flipped the coin into the air. It landed as the Jerk flipped it over in his hand and revealed the coin to himself. He showed it to his partner in crime and she smiled.

"The result is heads," she announced. "That means, Taylor, you get a head start from everybody. Remember, you have two minutes to leave this school before we release the next student. And if any of the other soldiers find you wondering the halls or the classrooms, they have our permission to kill you in anyway that pleases them. The school then becomes a forbidden zone exactly fifteen minutes from now."

_So these aren't even real soldiers?_ Jack thought. _They're just rapest who enjoy to kill. Wow, that's such a low._

"Okay, how about we let these games begin?" continued Yuchiro. "Girl number 1, Taylor Anderson?"

"H-h-here!" she stood up and ran over to Nichi who threw it into her arms. She stumbled a little bit before running out of the room.

Jack could feel his heart thump hard as the two minutes dragged on forever. Tatsuo had been keeping track of time on his watch.

"Boy number 1, Chad Alameda!" Tatsuo rang.

Chad stood up without a word before walking over to Nichi, who too roughly threw the day pack into Chad's arm.

"Yo, dude, slow it down," Chad said, casually as he flipped his wavy brown hair. "You could break somebody's bone by doing that. Then the games would be postponed and you have this huge mess, it's just not pretty."

"Is that what you think, Mr. Alameda?" Yuchiro asked Chad. "Do you really think an injury would make us postpone the games?"

"Wouldn't that be fair?" asked Chad.

Tatsuo started his annoying chuckling before producing a pistol from his belt.

He pointed the pistol in the direction of Heather.

Her eyes widen as she ducked to the side and Tatsuo shot.

The bullet didn't hit Heather at all, it hit the student behind her.

It hit Kim's left arm.

Students everywhere jumped in shock or just sat and watched with wide eyes.

"That's it!" now enraged, Jack made an attempt to jump on his table but he was only tackled by Jerry and Milton, and he landed on the floor.

Grace Wilson (Girl #20) and Kelsey Vargas (Girl #18) rushed up to help their injured friend, who was grabbing her arm in pain. Heather quickly stood up and also turned to help. Kim was kneeling on the ground.

"Dude, don't do anything rash!" Jerry hissed.

"Yeah, take Kaiden and Jerry's advice!" Milton added.

"Fine, let me up!" yelled Jack.

Jerry and Milton released their friend and he leapt to his feet. He glared at Tatsuo and his hands curled into a fist until his knuckles turned white. He felt Milton pushing him until he was seated.

"That was a waste of your two minutes, now isn't it, Chad?" Tatsuo asked.

Chad, who stood there watching the whole scene with wide eyes and an opened mouth quickly snapped back and disappeared out the door.

"Girl number two, Heather Brice!" Heather, who had successfully helped Kim back into her seat, turned and glared at the partners before running up to only be greeted with another heavy bag. She disappeared almost immediately.

Jack didn't blame Heather for being so mad. Come on, her ex-boyfriend that she still loved was blown up in front of her and the one of her friends just got shot.

Jack turned his head and looked at Kim as she still clutched her bleeding arm. She put on a brave face but Jack can see through to the pain she tried to hide.

_Screw that!_ Jack mentally kicked himself for being so weak and not able to protect the one girl he loved.

Yes, Jack does love Kim.

He just never got around to telling her because she was one; the most popular girl in school, and two; they were best friends. There was no way he could risk telling her his feelings for her and get rejected then things get all awkward between them. No he can't bear that thought.

But these games will be taking his life.

Jack had decided to protect Kim until the end, then he'll commit suicide and leave her the winner.

_Only one problem with that plan, the Wasabi Warriors will have to go as well,_ Jack felt his head pound, there is no way this can work out without the death of the rest of his friends.

"Boy number three, Jackson Brewer!" Tatsuo voice called his name and Jack knew the time has come.

He stood up but instead of heading towards the front of the room, he turned and headed towards Kim.

"Where are you going, Jackson?" Yuchiro asked and Jack could hear one of the twins load their gun.

"You okay?" Jack ignored the monster that had just asked him.

"Y-yeah but you should be leaving!" Kim said through gritted teeth.

"I'll be waiting for you outside," Jack whispered. "Wasabi Warriors never separate."

Kim looked at him, warmth in her eyes and Jack saw a little speck of something else. Joy and pride.

"Promise?" she asked.

"Promise," he reached out and gently place his hand over her wound.

"We only separate..." he started.

"To be united again," Kim finished.

"But our reunion will only make us closer," they finished together, their voice in sync.

He made eye contact with the rest of the gang who all looked up at him with worry but also determination. Milton wiped a tear away; Eddie nodded his head really fast, and Jerry seemed like he was on the verge of breaking down.

Jack then turned and walked towards the soldiers as Nichi threw a bag into his hands. Jack and Nichi had a little stare down, neither refusing to lose, until Jack knew it was time to go. He slung the bag over his shoulder before turning back to all the students that sat in the room watching him leave.

He gave them all a confident smile and a wink, "See you all on the other side."

With that, he turned and left the room, not knowing what the 'other side' awaited for him.

* * *

_**41 students in running**_


	6. 40 Students in Running

**4**

Jack was greeted with a dark hallway, only lit with some red lights on the floor leading him towards the exit like what you would see in a movie theater.

_Only this isn't a movie,_ Jack thought as he ran down the hall.

Pretty soon, Lilian Brown (Girl #3) would be following his tracks, as he is now.

Once he saw what he believed was the exit, Jack figured out that the time of day was somewhere around midnight. Taking a cautious step and a breath, Jack took his first step outside.

A gust of wind immediately greeted him as he looked around. In front of him, was a forest, only lit by the round moon.

Observing the area a little closer, Jack took another step.

However, his foot landed on something that felt like an oversize twig.

Jack looked down, half expecting something like a snake, but he was only greeted with an arm. A bloody arm to be specific, not attached to a body.

He let out a yell before stumbling back a little. He fell due to the heavy day pack that was on his shoulder.

Jack watched the arm a little longer, expecting it to move or twitch.

_Ah, that's disgusting!_ he thought as he felt a baby barf cover his mouth.

Jack stood up and heard moaning nearby. He froze for a little before hearing it again.

_Taylor?_ he stopped in front of a bush and waited for another moan.

Yep, there it is and Jack quickly whipped the bush out of the way.

Taylor's eyes widen in shook as she saw somebody. Her brown hair a mess and she was clutching her left shoulder.

"T-Taylor?" Jack started. "I-is that your arm over there?"

With another scream, she leapt on him and knocked him over. Jack, completely surprised, struggled under her right grip.

Even if she is missing her left arm, Taylor was able to keep Jack pinned on the ground.

"Don't move!" starring into her bloodshot eyes, Jack saw nothing but fear.

"I'm not going to hurt you!" reasoned Jack, loosening her grip from around his neck.

"Shut up!" she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a pocket knife, "That's exactly what Chad and Coleman said! But they lied! You see what they did to my arm?! Chad had a butcher's knife as his weapon and he chopped it clean off!"

Jack, suddenly finding the strength, was able to knock her right hand out from under her, causing her to collapse and him to roll out of the way fast.

She groaned in pain as Jack slowly stood up, his day pack still weighing him down.

"You're not gonna survive this, Brewer!" Taylor stood up and started charging at him, her pocket knife in hand.

Two shots is all they heard before Taylor's chest exploded and blood flew everywhere. She fell and laid very still. Jack stood watching, his mouth open big enough to catch about a dozen flies.

"I'll save you only this one time, Brewer," Jayden held a Colt in his hand. "But next time, the bullet's will be meeting your head and maybe even Kim's." before running in the opposite direction.

Weak from the witness of the murder, Jack fell to his knees and fought back the stubborn tears as they threatened to come.

_Some of them are actually willing to play this game!_ Jack thought. _Just how could they? We're all suppose to be going against the guys that threw us in this hellhole, not playing this damn game!_

"Jack!" a voice that could heal any wound made him look up.

Kim gasped when she saw the blood on his face and Taylor's dead body.

She turned and ran in the same direction as Jayden, still clutching her injured arm and her own day pack bouncing behind her.

"Kim! Wait!" ignoring the day pack and how much his legs ached, Jack leapt to his feet and ran after the girl he loved.

Jayden had warned him that he will kill Jack or Kim if he ever came face-to-face with either of them and right now, Kim's running straight towards him.

Jack caught up with her just in time and pulled her into the forest. They ran into a clearing before Jack stopped.

"Let go of me!" she protested trying to free her wrist. "Jack! You're hurting me!"

"Shh!" he shushed her before releasing her hand.

"D-did you kill Taylor?" she whispered, her brown eyes studying him.

"Of course not," Jack hissed. "I'll never play this game! Jayden killed her, not me."

Kim's gaze softened and Jack could see the relief replace the fear.

"Why did you run away me?" asked Jack, pulling her down gently.

"Because the whole scene was just too scary," she answered. "The blood on your face, Taylor's body there and her arm not attached to her body, it's scary!"

"It's alright now," Jack pulled her into a hug and she sobbed into his chest.

"Jack, I'm scared," she admitted, quietly.

"It's alright," Jack repeated himself.

One thing about Kim, if she did ever say she was scared, she truly meant it. Right now, Jack knows that she can't survive this game without him. And he knows he can't either. Their best play, is to stick together.

Once her sobbing subsided, Jack suggested they check what they had in their day packs.

Kim pulled out the little packet with the names of the players and the map of the area. Afterwards, she pulled out a water bottle and some bread. Last but not least, she pulled out a pouch.

"What's in there?" Jack asked.

Kim slowly opened it with her left hand. Her eyes widen as she saw what was inside, "About twenty ninja stars."

That weapon fitted Kim perfectly.

Kim's accuracy was deadly. In archery, she could shoot an apple off of Jerry's head if he was in the boys' locker room in the dojo from the kitchen at Falafel Phil's using a bow and an arrow.

This was a moment that Jack and Kim had to thank Rudy for a random lesson that he pulled randomly on them only two months ago.

Rudy taught them how to throw a ninja star and Kim had perfected the skill easily.

"What's your weapon, Jack?" Kim's voice snapped Jack back into the present.

He unzipped his day pack. The same bread, water, and packet was in there but also something white rested against the back.

Jack pulled it out and his eyes widen.

A katana sword.

"Wow, now this is faith," Jack could see a faint smile on Kim's lips. "You get a katana sword that you're boss at and I get a pouch of ninja stars."

"Well, we can protect ourselves now," carefully, Jack put his sharp weapon back into his pack, "let's take a look at that wound of yours."

Kim rolled up her sleeve as she winced with pain. She moved her way back until her back hit a nearby tree. (An oak tree)

Jack scooted closer to her and was able to see some of the blood already dry.

Quickly, the black belt grabbed his water bottle and washed most of it away. Not wanting the wound to dirty itself again, Jack bit at his sleeve before he was able to rip it in half.

"Jack? What are you doing?" asked Kim, surprised. "You love that shirt!"

"Yeah, but I love other things more than just this shirt," he smiled before wrapping the cloth around her arm.

Kim felt a blush coming as Jack tended to her wound. Once he finished, he put his body between her and tree, "It's either you or the shirt. And of course, you're far more important right now."

"Thanks Jack," she leaned up and pecked him softly on the lips before cuddling up against his chest.

Jack was in shock for a little bit before wrapping his arms around Kim, spreading his warmth to her.

"Get some sleep, we'll explore this place more in the morning," advised Jack.

"Take your own advice," Kim yawned. "Good night Jack."

"Good night Kimmy," Jack planted a kiss on her forehead.

Pretty soon, Kim's breathing slowed and Jack knew that his friend had fallen asleep.

_I probably should, too_, he thought to himself. _I could protect Kim better if I'm awake in the day._

Out there somewhere, Jack knew the rest of the Wasabi gang is also trying to survive. He's worried.

So far, Jayden, Coleman, and Chad are the only three that are playing.

The gang didn't know that!

"Jerry, Milton, Eddie," Jack whispered into the night air, "Please. Be careful."

Exhausted from everything that had happened, Jack leaned his head back and closed his eyes; keeping an ear out for any thing. Slowly, Kim's soft snoring, drowned Jack in sleep as well.

* * *

_**40 students in running**_


	7. 37 Students in Running

**5**

The night air yawned with crickets chirping as Jerry Martinez made his way through the forest, with his Glock 19 in his left hand.

He kept walking, not even looking left or right or up or down, he walked without a care in the world. He suddenly reached a cove as the water splashed up and splattered all over the rocks.

Jerry chuckled as he heard distant rumble of motors. Boats that have been granted permission to kill if any of the students tried to escape the island.

Jerry had no intention of doing so.

"Martinez, is that you?" Chad's voice broke Jerry's thoughts. Quickly, Jerry slipped the handgun into his Barcelona sweater.

"Yo, what's up, Chaddy?" replied Jerry, without turning around.

"I thought I told you never to call me that!" yelled Chad.

"If I were you," added a female voice, Lilian Brown, "I'd listen to what Chad has to say."

"Oh? And why so?" asked Martinez.

"'Cause he sliced off Taylor's arm without much effort, he could do the same to you," added Coleman.

"Yeah, and why should I be afraid of that?" Jerry's grip around his gun tightened. "What are your weapons?"

"I have a sickle," beamed Lilian.

"And I have a nunchaks," Coleman also said proudly.

"What weapon do you have, Jerry?" asked Chad, smirking like crazy.

"I can show you," whipping his gun out, Jerry fired six shots with dead accuracy and within only about five seconds.

Two bullets hit Coleman in the head and in his heart. Another pair hit Lilian in her neck. The two dropped dead immediately. The last pair hit Chad in his right leg, making him scream in pain before falling over.

"Yeah, I got a Glock 19," Jerry reloaded his gun as he made his way over to Chad's bleeding body. "Painful, isn't it?"

"Martinez!" yelled the dying student, "You were never like this back in Seaford! W-what turned you on?"

"I don't know, yo," Jerry smirked as he pointed his gun back at Chad's face. "I guess it's the desire to survive, but I guess you'll never figure out my swag."

With that, the boy fired one last shot into his classmate's face. The bullet went into his nose, shattering it before cutting off the breathing circulation. With a scream cut short and a spit of blood, Chad's body twitched once before lying completely still.

Still smiling at himself, Jerry went over to the other dead bodies of his classmates and retrieved the sickle and the nunchaks.

"These could be helpful," he unzipped his day pack before packing the nunchaks and the sickle in.

He sat down near the bodies as he grabbed the packet and opened to the page of names.

Taylor's name was marked off in her own blood, now it's these three's turn.

Dipping his pinky in the blood still oozing it's way out of the bodies, he crossed off Coleman's name with his blood. Then Lilian's with her blood, and finally Chad's with his.

"This game is gonna be interesting," he chuckled to himself before packing up and leaving the cove, before anybody else can show up.

* * *

Jack's eyes shot opened to a fiery when he heard the gun shots. He tried to stand up, when he felt some weight being pressed up against his body. He relaxed when he looked down to see Kim curled up against his chest.

Events of yesterday replayed itself through his head. The trip, the lessons, Kim getting injured, Taylor's death, running after Kim, tending to her wound, her kiss, everything. (Though the kiss was a pleasant thought)

He reached down and stroked her right cheek. She shifted but didn't wake.

_I'll get you out of here! You'll win, I promise,_ Jack silently promised her.

Suddenly, there was rustling behind them.

Freezing in place, Jack slowly turned his head, half hoping it was just some stray cat or dog passing through. But the rustling came again but followed by a shush.

"Kim," Jack quietly shook his friend awake, "Kimmy, wake up."

"Wha?" she opened her mouth but Jack slapped his hand across it and placed his other index finger to his mouth.

Kim looked up into her crush's face and figured out the danger they could be in. She then heard the rustling come and immediately followed Jack's lead and stayed still.

Jack and Kim stayed like this, (Jack's arms wrapping protectively around Kim's waist) until the rustling stopped and they heard the hider walk away.

"Stay here, I'll go check and see if he's gone," Jack whispered into Kim's ear. "Keep a ninja star at ready if they do show up while I'm gone."

Nodding, Kim reached into the pouch and pulled one out, showing Jack before he grabbed his katana and slipping like a ninja into the bushes.

Jack walked silently as if he was hunting a rabbit. He kept walking until he reached another clearing.

_How? I could've sworn somebody walked through here! They can't disappear that fast, can they?_ Jack thought.

After waiting a few more moments, Jack made his way back into the clearing. His eyes widen and fury ran through his body as the sight to behold.

Kim was being pressed to the ground with a Browning 9 pointed at her face. Jack could see her face scowled into an angry expression at not being able to be doing anything about the situation she was in.

Basil Reach (Boy #17) stood at the opposite end, finger on trigger.

"Don't move, Brewer," came another voice, as another boy that looked exactly like Basil (black hair with blue eyes and freckles along their pale skin) came into view and pointed a Remington Model 870 in Jack's brain. "Or your girlfriend's gonna get it."

"What the heck are you doing, Brian?" cried Jack. "You two are playing this game. You shouldn't!"

"We want to live and that's all!" Brian Reach yelled (Boy #18). "And since you two are the only black belts that we know, then you're too big a threat to all of us. So we're sort of doing everybody else a favor by eliminating you first so other people get the chance. So we're gonna start with you're girlfriend."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," growled Jack through his teeth.

"Oh? And why's that?" Brian raised an eyebrow. "Last time I checked I'm the one with the gun."

"And he's the one with the black belt," added a voice, surprising everybody in the clearing, "And if it's true that Kim Crawford is his girlfriend, then he'll be able to kill you two easily."

"Who's there?!" Brian changed direction of his gun behind him, leaving him wide open.

Silently thanking the unknown visitor, Jack planted a hard kick into Brian's side, breaking his ribs. Yelling in pain, his grip around his gun loosen and Jack easily kicked it out of his grip. Performing a perfect spinning back kick, he knocked Brian out within heartbeats.

Basil, witnessing the quick downfall of his brother, could only blink in surprise as Kim grabbed the collar of his polo with her non-injured hand and pulled him down. Planting a leg in his stomach, Kim launched him over her head as he landed in a shocked heap. She flipped to her feet as she watched her foe try to get up again.

Jack walked over and knocked him out all together with a punch behind his right ear.

"That's gonna leave them harmless for a few hours," Jack said as he turned around to Kim.

She was retrieving the guns and threw Jack the Remington, "I can't work that as well as you."

"And you could work the Browning better?" Jack raised an eyebrow.

She returned his smile as she looked around, "Who do you think that was?"

"No clue," Jack shook his head.

"Well we should get going," Kim threw her daypack over her shoulder only to wince in pain.

Jack rushed over and helped her looped her injured arm through the other strap, "That arm of yours is a pain, huh?"

"Yeah," Kim sighed. "but it'll heal. I usually mend pretty quickly."

Jack gave her a smile as he threw his backpack around his shoulder, too. He took her injured arm and examined it one last time. Her blood is seeping through the cloth.

"At our next break, I'm gonna change the wrapping," announced Jack.

"Sounds good," replied Kim. "Now, how about we go."

Jack inter wined his fingers in hers, "Now I'm ready."

* * *

_**37 Students in Running**_


	8. 32 Students in Running

**4**

Jack and Kim made their way through the forest in silence. Not a single sound, not a single peep. Jack turned to every bird call and pulled Kim along. He slowly noticed how slow she was walking and decided on a break.

"Kimmy?" he stopped. "You wanna rest? You look like you could sure use it."

"No, I'm fine," she panted. "We've only been walking for fifteen minutes anyway, I can keep going."

"I don't think-" Jack was cut off when a sound of a siren went off followed by a demon's voice.

"Goooood morning, Seaford Freshmen! How's it going this fine morn?" Tatsuo yelled through some speakers.

"You got lucky," she looked at him as the two found a big boulder and sat down.

"Well, to first announce the forbidden zones..."

Jack and Kim both marked x's through the places. Jack knew what came next and he dreaded every last second that led up to it.

"Now to continue to your classmates that have passed within the first three hours. As always, ladies first," he cleared his throat before he continued, "Girl #1, Taylor Anderson, girl #3 Lilian Brown, girl #7 Kiara Heartly, and girl #14 Anika Park."

Jack sat rigid, he can't believe it! No way that many students are already dead! He looked down at his list and saw the names. Gently, he put a dot next to the name, crossing it out is just too heartless.

"And now boys," Tatsuo yelled. "Boy #1 Chad Alameda, boy #2 Coleman Beach, boy #5 Adolpho Cruz, and boy #10 Noah Jennings. That's eight students in three hours. Come on, guys! You can do better than this. I want to see better results than this in the next three hours. Good luck!" And the speakers shut off.

Jack and Kim sat where they were, starring off into the distance. Kim was slowly mourning for her dead classmates and Jack was just happy that none of the Wasabi Warrior's names were mentioned. He was also surprised that some people were actually willing to play. He just needs to figure out who.

"You ready to move on?" Jack asked.

"Not yet, I'm a little thirsty," admitted Kim, slyly.

Jack reached into his bag and gave her his water. While she drank, he checked her wound. He wrapped a fresh piece of cloth around it.

"Now I'm ready," she said and the two headed deeper into the forest.

* * *

"How much further do we have to walk, Donna?" Kelsey Vargas (Girl #19) complained to her friend. "I'm all sweaty! My feet are sore! This cute skirt is all muddy! And we have no freaken clue where we're heading! It's all trees, grass, and more trees!"

"Would you stop complaining?" Donna Tobin (Girl #18) rolled her eyes as she kept walking. Her gang consisted of Kelsey, Willow Yao (Girl #21), Ester Martin (Girl #9), and Grace Willson (Girl #20).

Grace adjusted the strap to her AR-15 strap and followed the leader. (Not that she wanted to.) The only reason why she's following this gang containing divas is just to lead the way out of this forest. Then, she's gonna be gone and looking for Kim.

_Poor girl, I hope she's alright,_ Grace thought to herself.

"Grace!" Donna's annoying voice snapped her back to the pressence. "Go ahead and scout," Donna appeared annoyed. Her hands on her hips without a weapon but Grace knew the Tisas ZIGANA T in her jacket pocket.

"Fine," Grace took the weapon in hand and walked on, over the little creek and kept lead.

"God! How much further?" it's Willow's turn to complain after they walked on for about fifteen minutes.

"We're gonna be out of here soon!" Donna raised her voice. "Would you shut the heck up already?"

"Who died and made you leader?" Willow snapped back.

"Oh well, I'm the one with the pistol and you're the one with the pan so what does that make you?" Grace hated the fact that Donna's using her weapon to be able to gain control.

"Well Grace has an AR-15 with her! And _she's_ a way better leader than you, slut!" Willow hissed and stopped.

"A slut?" Donna's eyes started blazing.

She slowly walked up to Willow until they were nose to nose, "Let me tell you something, I can kill you right now if I wanted to."

"Donna, don't," Grace raised her voice.

"Stay out of this, Willson!" Donna snapped before turning back to Willow.

"Then why don't you?" Willow stood her ground.

_**BAM!**_ Willow's eyes widen in shook.

"Oops, I already did," the girl smiled as her 'friend' looked at her. "Straight through your heart."

Willow spat blood, meaning for it to hit Donna in the face but it was too late. She already grabbed the colar of Willow's shirt and tossed her into the creek.

"Let's move on," Donna brushed pass the girls starring at the corspe of their friend.

Her purple and pink plaid shirt is blown up and drenched in blood. They knew her heart's pumping was cut off but blood kept spilling out. Her eyes open, starring off into the distance.

"Girls!" Donna's angry voice called before Kelsey and Ester exchanged glances before running off.

Grace, however, slowly made her way over to her dead friend.

_Thanks for letting us know not to set Donna off, we're gonna miss you, at least you're safe, now,_ she crouched down and rested her hand on her Willow's forehead.

She ran her hand down and Willow's eyes closed.

With one last look and adjustment of her gun, Grace ran off to catch up with the rest of the gang.

* * *

_**32 Students in running**_


	9. 29 Students in Running

**5**

Kim flinched as she heard another gun shot in the distance. She felt Jack's hand tightened around hers. She looked up and looked at him.

His head was raised and searching the trees. A few heartbeats later, he resumed leading his friend through the woods.

"Jack, can we take a break?" Kim asked.

"Sure," he sighed before finding a log and settling down.

Jack reached into his day pack and grabbed his water. He gave it to Kim, who shook her head, "You first."

"You're the one injured and the lady around here," chuckled Jack, "You first."

She gave him a shy smile before taking a small gulp out of it. After they are happy without thirst, Jack decided to change the cloth on Kim's injured arm. He cleaned the wound with at least amount of water as he could possibly use before ripping a piece of cloth from his jeans.

"You know," Kim gave him a cute giggle, "by the time we're done with these games, you'll be running around naked."

Jack gave her a smile before finishing the knot, "That should be good enough."

"You know," that same voice! The voice that saved them before with the Reach twins, "She needs to bathe before you could wrap a fresh new cloth for that."

Whipping around, Jack used his body to shield Kim. With her good hand, she gripped his shirt and glanced in the opposite direction for their savior.

"I don't get it," came the voice again, "Nobody ever looks up."

Jack looked up at the huge tree and saw a shadow.

"Who's there?!" Jack snapped, gripping his sword's hilt in the day pack by his foot.

"Dion," he walked out of the shadow, "Zheng."

Kim held her breath. Dion just transferred to Seaford from Korea for only two months. He's been a little talkative and even flirted with Kim countless time. She thought he was way too confident with himself and it annoyed her so much. What's he doing here now? After all the times she rejected him, she thought Dion would target her first.

"What do you want Dion and why did you save us back there?" Jack asked. "We _are_ fighting against one another. Why save us when you yourself have to deal with us later?"

"I felt like it, Brewer, you got a problem with that?" Dion laughed. "And I can help you again. It's easy; just accept me into your duo and we'll make it a trio."

"I don't know, Jack," Kim whispered. "It'd be nice having another ally but I would watch him."

Jack gave her a short nod before turning to their classmate, "Okay, but what weapon do you have on you?"

"A pickaxe," he said before making his way down. "What weapons do you have?"

"A Browning 9 and a pouch of ninja stars," Jack said, purposely leaving out his sword and the Remington Model 870.

"Oh? What did you pick up from the Reach's?" he asked as he landed.

Kim can finally make out the thick black hair and his sweater tied around his waist. With his daypack over one shoulder, Dion had his white tennis shoes tied together and around his neck.

"Uh, Dion," Kim started, "Why aren't you wearing your shoes?"

"Makes it easier to climb trees," he answered with his annoying flirting smile.

"Why don't we just go find a water source for Kim?" Jack snapped before pulling out the gun. Kim was satisfied as Dion flinched.

"I know a way to the lake and it's not very far, just follow me and could you please put the gun away?" Dion's eyes never left the gun.

"To make sure everything is safe," Jack said. "Now walk, Zheng."

"Whatever," he rolled his eyes before starting the walk.

"Jack, should we trust him?" Kim asked.

"He's our only way to be able to completely heal your arm," Jack explained.

"What should we do with him once we're done?" she pressed.

"If we finally trust him, then he's going to stay with us until the end, but if we don't, just knock him out long enough so we could escape," Jack whispered.

They walked on in silence for about half an hour when Dion finally announced they were near, "Just around these trees!"

Kim's healthy hand's fingers intertwined themselves around Jack's again before she whispered into his ear, "I wonder how the rest of the Wasabi Warriors are doing."

"They're fine," Jack explained. "As long as they stick together, everything will be alright."

Kim stopped suddenly when she bumped into her best friend's back, "What's up?"

Dion turned to them, that smile that she didn't quite come to trust was still on his face, "Just around these bushes are your little resort, go on, I'm right behind you."

"How about you go first and we follow," Jack lifted the gun at his face again, "Well, go on."

Dion glared at Jack before clearing the bush into the clearing.

Something's wrong.

"Jack, wait," Kim said, stopping in her tracks, preventing Jack from moving.

"What's up, Kimmy?" he turned and looked at her.

"Something's not right about that other side, I have a feeling it's a trap," Kim said.

"A trap," Jack munched on the idea for a bit longer. "You're thinking he has back up waiting?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Some people probably waiting in the bushes to shoot us once we're clear from the trees. Think about it, Jack, Dion hates my guts because of how many times I rejected him for you."

"For me?" his eyes widen in surprise.

"Did I say that?" she panicked. "Never mind! We should be careful about this."

"What should we do?" he asked, still a little happy with Kim's slip of the tongue.

"I know we don't have that much ammo left but could you shot about three bullets into the clearing?" Kim asked.

"You better listen to your girlfriend, Brewer," somebody was standing behind them. They whipped around and there stood Kaiden with an AI L96 pointed directly at Jack, "You can't trust anybody in these games."

"We don't that's why we're doubting Dion at the moment," Kim pointed out.

"Smart, keeping to the good side, Crawford," chuckled Kaiden. He walked pass them while Jack kept herding Kim behind him

"The twins was all part of Dion's little gang," Kaiden said. "They're waiting for you in the clearing. You might think you have the Browning 9 and they're weapon less but they have another gun waiting. A M14 is waiting to murder you both once you step into the clearing."

Jack and Kim exchange a glance before turned back to Kaiden. He stay hidden in the bushes before firing exactly three shots.

"Now it's safe," he exclaimed.

Jack and Kim quickly peeked out into the clearing. Dion laid motionless on the floor, his whole chest covered in blood.

"Y-you're playing this game?" Kim asked.

"Hardly, just wanting survival," explained the student. "I only kill the hard to get not the easy ones like you right now. You're too exposed and killing you is going to be terrible so I'll let you go. Also, 'cause of Kim's wound. You better wash that off."

He turned and disappeared back into the forest.

Jack took a careful step into the clearing; signaling for Kim to stay back. He avoided looking at Dion's corpse before going over to check the little pond in the clearing.

_I can't believe that guy, he really wanted to murder us after all, thank you Kaiden for the warning,_ Jack thought before turning back to Kim and telling her to come in.

* * *

_**29 Students in Running**_


	10. 27 Students in Running

**6**

Milton Krupnick and Eddie Jones moved quietly through the dark forest. The two best friends agreed to stop once the moon is more than halfway across the night sky.

The weapon provided for the ginger was a lighter and about a dozen TNT. Eddie was more fortunate. He had a slingshot and an extra pocketknife that was his from his scouts.

"Come on, Eddie," Milton murmured over his shoulder. "I think I hear Kim's voice."

Sure enough, just a few feet ahead, Kim and Jack have stopped to set up camp. The pair was resting against a tree trunk with Kim laying on Jack's chest and Jack's back against an aspen tree. They were recalling the days where their teacher, Sensei Rudy and the rest of the Wasabi Warriors would do.

"Jack," Kim stopped when she heard heavy breathing from behind a tree. "Jack, I think somebody's coming."

Jack immediately grabbed the Browning he had laying by his arm.

"Is that Jack and Kim?" a familiar voice allowed Jack to lower his gun and the friends to breath.

"Yeah, Milton is that you?" Kim asked.

"Yes and Eddie!" the two came into view. "Where are you two?"

Jack chuckled and Kim face palmed. They had their backs to them.

"Turn around," Jack instructed.

The two shadows turned around before rushing towards their friends. They stopped abruptly in front of the pair.

"What's going on here?" Milton said, in a teasing voice. "You two together?"

"No! Jack's just a really comfortable pillow," Kim giggled.

"How long have you two been together?" Eddie asked. "I mean, working, not dating wise."

"Since the beginning of the games," sighed Jack.

"Well, isn't that just…" Eddie started but stopped, his mouth hanging open and shock took over his face.

"Eddie?" Kim started panicking. "You alright, buddy?"

He stopped breathing on his feet and feel over. Kim leapt up with Jack following her suit.

"Eddie!" Milton yelled before he, too, had a surprised face.

"Milton!" Jack yelled before his friend's body collapsed on top of their other friend.

Kim felt tears take over her eyes but she held it back. She wanted to barf when she saw the hole in their backs. Her eyes quickly searched the clearing.

"Who's there?!" She spat.

"Come and show yourself!" Kim glanced over at her friend. Jack had bloodshot eyes and tears were running down his cheek. "COME ON COWARD! COME OUT! LET ME SEE THE SON OF A BITCH THAT KILLED MY FRIENDS!"

"Jack, calm down," soothed Kim.

"How can I?" he lowered his eyes and the tears continued. "This game is so fucked up in so many ways! Milton and Eddie. They would never hurt a mosquito! They don't deserve to die. Nobody deserves to die. EXCEPT THE BITCH PLAYING THIS DAMN GAME!"

"Jack! You're scaring me!" Kim yelled at her best friend.

Jack looked over at Kim. Her eyes were watery and tears threatened to fall over. He pulled her into a hug and buried his face in her honey golden hair.

"I'm sorry, I scared you, I'm just really upset," he explained.

"I'm know, I am, too," she said.

"Guys!" Jerry's voice broke the two apart.

Jerry ran into the clearing. His clothes all ripped up.

"Jerry!" Jack and Kim yelled at the same time. "You're okay!"

"Of course I am," Jerry said, proudly. "Nobody can get the swag master!"

"Come here, man," Jack and Jerry did their signature handshake and pulled one another into a hug.

"You alright, Jack?" asked Jerry.

"No, man I'm not," Jack said.

"Why?"

"Somebody killed Eddie and Milton," Jack choked.

Jerry's eyes wondered until they rested on the two bodies.

"Oh no," Jerry knelt to the ground on top of the bodies.

Kim started crying again as Jack pulled her into another hug, his turn to soothe her.

"I promise I'll get whoever did this to you," Jerry murmured, loud enough for Jack and Kim to hear.

"Revenge is never the answer," Jack said, "Remember what Rudy said."

"Revenge is how our friends will be able to pass into the better world," Jerry said. "Think about it. Do you know who killed these two? No? Exactly, that coward wouldn't dare to show his or her face."

"Still Jerry," Kim shook her head. "We should only mourn, not avenge."

"You two are weak," Jerry said.

"Weak? Jerry we're strong not going to kill whoever did this to our best friends," Jack said.

"And what if that person is me? Would you do it?" Jerry smirked.

"What?" the pair at the same time.

"Jerry you would never," Jack said.

"Well, I've already killed six plus two more that's eight."

Kim and Jack stood there, nothing to do, nothing to say.

"W-why Jerry? They were your friends! How could you!" Kim yelled at him. "You jerk! No, you backstabbing jerk!"

Jerry started laughing, "A jerk? Wow, Kim, that the best you got?"

It was taking every single ounce of Jack's strength to hold him from killing the jerk in front of them.

"And now," Jerry pulled out a gun and pointed it at Jack. "I'm about to make it ten. Finishing with you love birds."

* * *

_**27 students in running**_


	11. 7 Students in Running

**7**

Jerry loaded the gun, "Goodbye, Jack. I have to admit though, always been jealous but now, the jealousy dies along with you."

Kim cleared all the tears and was able to make out a figure behind Jerry. The figure rose a finger to its mouth.

"Wait, you only want to shoot Jack? Why?" Kim asked.

The friends could see their ex-friend sigh, "True. What I meant by jealous is that he always had you, Crawford."

"What do you mean by that?" Kim's eyes darted back to the figure, he was moving like a professional assassin.

"He has your heart!" Jerry was really angry now. "You chose him when _I_ have always been there for you!"

Suddenly, there was a thud and Jerry was on the floor out cold. Jack and Kim exchange a look of confusion.

"That should get him to shut up," Figure talked.

"Who are you?" Jack whipped out the gun he hid in the waist of his pants.

"Come on, Brewer," Figure raised his hands though Kim was able to figure out who their savior was.

"Kaiden," Kim said under her breath. "Why are you helping us? You barely know any of us."

Even in the dark, she could feel him smile, "I can smell people I can trust. Come with me before your traitor friend wakes up. Midnight announcements will start in a few minutes. I'm hiding out."

Jack and Kim exchange another look, this time questioning whether or not they can trust this new student.

But, Jerry started groaning so the two didn't really have a choice.

Saying goodbye to their friends that had fallen, the three teenagers were soon running through the forest.

Soon, they came upon a rundown what seems to be a little house.

"This is where I'm hiding out," Kaiden spoke. "You two can stay with me for some time."

Jack bit his bottom lip, "Thanks for your hospitably and what you did for me earlier back in the classroom but honestly, Kim and I barely know you and we don't know if we trust you or not. If you haven't noticed, it's kinda of a one for yourself or die."

"Then why don't you just abandoned Crawford when she was injured," challenged Kaiden. "If I remember clearly, you waited for her and within the process you were nearly murdered by some crazy one armed Taylor."

Kaiden was about to say more when suddenly Tatsuo's voice took over the night sky, "I hope you all are doing well. As everybody knows, tomorrow is the third day! If we don't have a winner by 23:59 tomorrow, I'm afraid I have to kill you all. Though I must say I'm very proud of everybody. Do you know how many students are in running? 7 of you are!"

Kim felt her heart drop into her stomach. She can't believe it! The last time they heard the announcements, there were perfectly 27 students that evening. How could 20 of them all dead within the last six hours?

Nevertheless, she pulled the map out with her uninjured hand and grabbed the pen, ready to mark.

"Ladies first," he cleared his throat. "Stephine Cad. #4, Evanna Hope, #8, Ester Martin, #9, Cassandra McCoy, #10, Hailena Moore, #11, Jessica Newburg, #12, Ashley Nguyen, #13, Marigold Smith, #16, Winter Tsang #17, and Kelsey Varges, #19."

_Only Donna, Grace, and Heather are left for the girls? _The names on the sheet of paper started spinning. _Oh yeah, then there's me. _

"Now, onto the boys. To start, I must say, you guys really know how to kill. Way to go! Jayden Buckway, #4. Kiyoshi Din, #5, Daren Filko, #7, Toby Heartly #8, Edward Jones, #11, Austin Kail, #12, Milton Krupnick, #13, Huang Lam, Phoenix Noelle, #16, and Drago Yin, #20. I must say, this number of the passed on is amazing! Some of you may wonder, how? Well, some stupidity forgot the forbidden zones, others were just murdered."

_Jerry, _Kim's mind kept swirling. _He loves me, too. Hell, why does my stupid head hurts too much anyway._

"And now for the forbidden zones…"

That's when Kim couldn't take it anymore. She felt her head spin and the whole forest in front of her the two other boys.

Jack was the first to notice her collapse.

"Kim! Kim, you alright?!" Jack caught her before she made contact with the ground.

Kaiden was by his side immediately, "What's wrong with her?"

Jack felt her forehead, "She's burning up!"

Kaiden quickly nudge Jack gently to the side and tested her forehead himself. He then turned to the wound on her arm.

"It's infected," he pointed. "We need to get her inside and tend to it."

Brewer only nodded before picking her up and following their only ally inside the little pharmacy hut.

…

"Only 7, how nice," Donna stuffed the list inside. "The game just got very easy."

"Maybe not," Grace looked at the girl. "Remember, Crawford and Brewer are still out there. Chances are, they're still together."

"But they're weak," Donna replied. "The ginger and the African boys are down and out. There's only Jerry. And I highly doubt that idiot is much help. I can take him down easy."

"How?"

"Just offer him my body as I did to Huang, Austin, Daren, Phoenix, and bam, we have another down," Tobin laughed.

Grace looked at her 'leader'. There really is nothing she can do about this and she doesn't agree with this method at all.

But she needs to find Kim! There's possibility she might be alone and that bullet wound might be infected.

Donna looked over at Grace, "Don't worry, Grace. I don't plan on getting you. You've been the only loyal one on the team since the start of this game. Let's go find Martinez and end the game once and for all."

"Yes," Grace sighed before the two set off into the dark of the woods once again.

_**7 Students in running**_


	12. 7 Students Still in Running

**8**

Inside the Kaiden's little hide out; Jack was able to make out a small table in the middle of the store. However, Jack could also tell that whoever owned this store before they were evacuated also lived here as well. The counter was pushed out the back.

"This place is like a little clinic," he thought out loud.

Kaiden nodded, "But to keep safe, I just sleep here in the living room. I don't use any of the rooms in case anything happens."

Jack saw a hammock tied from a doorknob of a room to the front gate.

_Just in case he needs to make a run, smart._

What surprised him the most is there's another hammock in what seems to be the kitchen.

"Lower her on the hammock, Brewer," Kaiden replied.

Jack helped by lowering the barely conscious Kim onto the hammock. She groaned as her shoulder was applied some pressure.

Nothing matters now. Kim might be on her way to death and Jack doesn't have the time to worry about how many places Kaiden created to sleep.

Kaiden expectedly took off the drenched piece of cloth Jack used earlier. He kneeled down and examined the wound.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Jack whispered, kneeling down beside Kaiden.

"My father is a doctor, he taught me almost everything he learned and I took a first-aid class last year before transferring to your school," replied Kaiden.

"So what do you need?" Jack asked.

"First off, light that candle on the desk," Pointed Kaiden.

Jack found a box of matches next to the red candle. He lit it and carefully placed it next to Kaiden. Light lit the room and Jack was able to see the bleeding on Jack's arm.

"Perfect. Now, on the cabinet above the sink, there's a metal bowl. Use it to fill with warm water and damp the towel next to the stove. Remember, keep your head low. We don't want any of the remaining survivors will attack if they see anything moving."

Jack nodded before doing what he was said. As he waited for the water to fill, he caught glimpse of something moving towards the house.

He quickly ducked and turned off the water but the figure still neared the little house.

"Kaiden," Jack hissed under his breath. "There's somebody coming."

"Dammit!" Kaiden blew out the fire before ducking under the table. Jack heard him load a gun.

Jack ran his hand over his back and grabbed the hilt of the sword hiding under his shirt. It was Kim's idea to hide it there just in case anything happened and Jack had to admit, he's glad he listened.

Thinking of Kim's voice made his heart ache. She might not make it.

But all doubts were pushed aside when he heard somebody grab the knob.

"Kaiden, it's me!" the person whispered.

"Heather!" Jack heard him try to stand up but hit his head.

He finally got out from under the table and nearly tripped over Jack.

"You can put the sword away now, Jack," his eyes widen.

"Explain why she's here?" Jack asked.

Kaiden said, "She's here because she's my ally; like Kim is to you."

Jack protested, "It's different."

"How different?" Kaiden challenged. When Jack didn't answer, he did so for the black belt, "It's not different. We both love a girl."

_I love Kim,_ Jack admitted to himself. _I just need to know if she loves me, too._

Jack stood up and sighed, "Did you tell her yet?"

"No, and I take you haven't either," Kaiden lowered his voice as he made his way to the back door, "She's going through a difficult stage right now and with Shawn down, I just don't want to confuse her."

Jack nodded as he made his way back to Kim. He relit the candle and looked at Kim. She was asleep and Jack saw the box of sleeping medicine on the table. He also saw the tread and needle lying beside it.

He looked back at Kim, the girl he loves. She looked like a little baby and this the first time in two days that she wasn't asleep against his chest. Jack felt the emptiness on his chest where her head usual lies.

Jack kissed her forehead. The fever was going down and she had stopped sweating.

_I'll get you out of here. Even if it means you have to win this game._

"Jack," he turned from Kim to smiling Heather.

"Heather," Jack returned her smile. "It's such a good thing you're still alive."

"Same goes for you and Crawford," she nodded towards Kim. "How is she, Kai?"

Kaiden was holding the bowl Jack had prepared, "She has a little infection but she's going to be alright. Those drugs only last about an hour so I need to patch up before she wakes up and will complain."

Jack and Heather left the room as Kaiden set to work. Heather sat down in what Jack assumed was her bed during the games. Jack sat back in his old place and pulled his sword out.

He started cleaning it before Heather asked, "You two been together the whole game?"

"Yeah," Jack replied. "I wouldn't dream of leaving her alone even if she wasn't injured." He stopped before asking, "How did you meet up with Kaiden?"

"I was corner by Donna, Kelsey, and Grace;" she spoke, keeping her voice down, "Kaiden had something like a bo staff and attacked Donna and Grace from behind. He managed to knock them out cold but during the process, Donna had an AR-15 and shot Kelsey in the head as she fell. He grabbed my hand and led me away before I could even speak.

"He led me here and promised me he would watch over me. Kai also said something about promising Shawn but that was to himself and when he thought he was alone. He saw me looking at him before he continued. And here I am."

"You trust Kaiden?"

She hesitated before choosing her words carefully, "With my life. He's really caring and sweet…"

Jack looked up from his sword cleaning, "Do you love him?"

Heather didn't move. She just starred at the ceiling and had a blank expression. Jack didn't think she was going to answer but she had a small smile, "He's the reason I broke up with Shawn in the first place. But you know him, Jack. Back in class, he was always so quiet and always had Donna and her little gang following him everywhere."

"Why don't you tell him?" Jack asked.

"What's the point? I don't want to confuse him so he loses focus on this game," she turned her back to Jack. "I want him to win the game."

Jack suddenly felt uncomfortable but she assured him, "Don't worry! I'm not going to kill you or Kim. But if it comes down to the two of us, I'm going make sure he wins."

"I'd do the same for Kim," he answered.

He heard her chuckle, "Love makes us do stupid things."

Jack was about to answer but Kaiden entered the kitchen and emptied the water, "What were you two talking about?"

"Nothing," Heather sat up and gave him a warm smile, "How's Kim?"

"She's fine," Kaiden leaned against the counter. "The drug started to wear off a bit and she started complaining and threatening me. How do you deal with her?"

"This is the first time she's ever had a bullet in her body," Jack shrugged. "But she's gonna be on her feet?"

"Very soon," answered Kaiden. "You want something to eat?"

Jack nodded, "Do you have other food besides the bread they gave you?"

"Yeah," Heather replied. "We have rice and some meat in the fridge. I'll cook something up so Kim gets something to eat once she wakes up."

"While you prepare that, I'm going to show Jack where he can wash up," Kaiden said.

"Alright," she looked up at him and the two seemed like they were exchanging something silently.

Jack smiled. One: Kim's going to be fine. Two: if she figured out these two loved one another, she would try to do something.

"This way, Jack," Kaiden gestured. Jack put his sword on the floor, blade facing the wall before following Kai.

They entered a room but Jack couldn't see a toilet, sink, or shower.

Instead, he saw a bed and on the bed, a body.

It was Jayden Buckway.

"What the f-?!" but Kaiden was on Jack before he could finish.

* * *

_**7 Students in Running**_


	13. 7 Students Alive

**9**

Jack grabbed Kaiden's wrist and tried twisting it. However, Kaiden was a little stronger and kept his hold.

"Don't say a word," Kaiden hissed into his ear. "It isn't what you think. Jerry killed him. We just found his body and brought it back here."

"Why would you do that?" Jack said under the hand.

"I'll tell you if you don't attack me," Kaiden answered.

Jack struggled again but he gave up and nodded.

Kaiden walked around Jack and picked up a notebook from a desk in the corner. He started writing some things down. Jack walked over to his once savior.

Jayden had three holes in his body; two on either side of his chests and one in his head. All the blood, however, was washed up and cleaned.

Kaiden threw the notebook to Jack and he read what was on the piece of paper in red ink. The moonlight just bright enough for him to make out the words:

_I was there when Jerry murdered him. Once he left the scene, I picked Jayden up and took him back here. Heather had a freak out and even pointed a gun at me but I smoothed everything out with her. This was first night. _

_ The reason I have him here is because I was using his collar to figure out how to break free from it. The bastards controlling this game has no idea since the collar deactivated when he gave up his last breathes. I've been making process since and on the last set of security within the collar._

_ The other reason I'm writing this is because in the collars, there are microphones and they listen to everything we say. They'll never figure things out if we write._

_ Remember, no talking about this and you should be the one to tell Kim._

Jack took in the information. Kaiden knew a way out. He gestured for the pen. Kai threw it to him and he jotted down,

_Even if we are free from this, how would we survive? The waters are filled with soldiers plus, we have three other people to worry about out there._

Kaiden only smiled and nodded.

He has a plan.

Jack couldn't help but feel happy about all of this. So he is able to live and with Kim. The only down side is when they lost the Wasabi Warriors during this whole thing.

Jack nodded opening the door and left the room. There's no way he can stay in the same room as a corpse and it made him sick.

Jack walked out into the living room and saw a promising sight. One that brought him on edge and he could feel tears well up.

Kim was perfectly fine and she was sitting on Kaiden's hammock holding a bowl of steamed rice. On the table were two dishes of lemongrass chicken (he could tell from the smell) and teriyaki chicken. Heather was sitting beside Kim on the hammock and the two girls were giggling about something. Both their hairs tied back into a ponytail. If this wasn't a killing game situation, these two could have become good friends and would be hanging out in a bedroom, gossiping about boys or something.

"Jack!" Kim saw him first. He smiled as she put her bowl down and ran up to him.

She kissed him on his cheek.

He beamed before pulling her into a hug. He looked at Heather over her shoulder and could tell from the way she smirked, she told Kim everything about their conversation earlier.

Kaiden came up behind them and asked Kim, "So? How's the arm?"

"It's doing much better," she replied. "Thanks Kai. I was lucky you were around."

"Good and don't worry about it," he answered. "So what's for a midnight snack?"

"It isn't a midnight snack exactly more like a very early breakfast," Heather said. "Come on. We haven't eaten any yet."

* * *

Donna Tobin sighed, frustrated. They've been going in circles and so far, they found not even a sign of Jack Brewer or Kim Crawford.

Oh, the sight of killing Kim Crawford is one she has been dreaming about for the past two nights.

She's going to make her suffer, instead of just a simple bullet through her pretty blonde head. Donna had other plans on taking out Kim.

Grace, however, wasn't too cool on the idea of killing her best friend. She was able to mask her real emotions and hopefully she's able to get Donna before she tried anything.

Her eyes searched the night and something bothering came into sight.

Milton and Eddie's bodies.

"Donna, look here," she pointed with her AR-15.

Donna turned her head and a smiled played on her lips, "They were here. We're getting closer. Some friends they are, murdering their own pack."

They kept walking until they came upon a little pharmacy. The gates were down and the doors seemed to be locked. Through a window, Grace could see a little glint of light.

"They're in there," Donna announced. "We should get them now!"

"No, wait," Grace grabbed her shoulder. "Wait until they're asleep. They might be on full alert now. Buy time and we'll win."

Donna groaned but nodded. There was a rustle in the bush near the pharmacy.

"Who's there?!" Donna pulled out her Tisas ZIGANA T and fired two shots.

"I wasn't in the bush, Donna," She whipped around and there was Jerry. He his gun directed at the back of her head.

"I wouldn't shoot it if I were you," Grace could see his smirk. "I can have a bullet through your head within milliseconds."

As expect, Donna started 'crying'. Noticing Jerry's full attention on Donna, Grace backed away. He didn't budge as she made a mad dash around the pharmacy.

_Is he just letting me escape? _She thought to herself as a solid metal door came into sight.

Panicking when a shriek filled the air, she pounded on the door loudly.

"Help me!" she whimpered. "Kim, please help me."

* * *

Kim's mouth fell a gap. As the pounding and yelling continued, she was also able to something along the lines of moaning in front of the pharmacy along with the bush rustling.

"Jack," she hissed to him. He had his katana sword drawn and was heading for the back door while Kaiden had a bo staff and heading towards the front door. They both stopped in their tracks and turned around.

"I want to talk to Grace," she whispered.

"I don't think it's such a good idea," Jack answered.

Kim pulled out her Browning, "I have a weapon. You can stand right behind me if you want but I need to talk to her, now!"

Jack bit his lip he finally nodded and beckoned her forward. She walked passed him and quietly unlocked the door.

"Kim!" Grace continued to yell.

"Shut your mouth for a bit, I'm opening the door," Kim replied.

Kim was only able to turn the lock as the door burst opened. Grace tackled Kim to the ground while Jack stood just far enough that the edge of the katana blade nearly ran through Kim as she fell.

He shut the door as Kaiden rushed over and pointed a gun at the back of Grace's head, "Don't move a muscle."

Kim tried to move under Grace but she had her arms around Kim's head, "I'm so glad I found you."

"Wait, aren't you working with Donna?" Kim said, muffled.

"I was," Grace tried sitting up but end of Kaiden's gun made her recoil.

"Oh, you're here, too Kaiden?"

"We won't harm you if you give us all your weapons," Kaiden held out a hand.

Grace moved to the strap around her body and pulled it off. She happily handed him the gun and the two daggers she hid in the waist band.

"Is that all?" Jack slowly slid his sword into it's hilt.

"The bullets are in my bag, go ahead, search it," she threw her bag on the floor. Kaiden nodded to Jack and the two both hid their weapons.

Grace sat up, "Sorry for barging in like this. I swear, I didn't kill or hurt anybody. Donna is the only one."

"We believe you," Kaiden murmured. "But we have to leave, now. If your friend Donna is out there, no doubt she might come in here once she's done with whatever is going out there."

"But what about," Jack pointed to his collar.

"Ahh, don't worry about it," Kaiden smiled. He figured it out.

"Let's go," Heather came into view. "Tobin and Martinez are doing some pretty unpleasant things out there."

Once everybody was packed and ready, Kaiden led the way out back. The moaning seemed to have stopped but they all dashed into the forest without much sound.

They ran for a few minutes before Jack decided it's good to stop and rest up a bit by a lake.

"We can camp here for the night," he explained. "I'll keep first watch. If it's too cold, try using body warmth."

"I'll stick watch with you," Kaiden volunteered.

"Thanks, why don't you girls go ahead and sleep?" Jack instructed. "You'll need energy if anything or anyone attacked."

The girls didn't protest as they all laid down on the sand close to one another. Soon, they all were softly snoring.

Jack found a stick and wrote into the sand:

_How do we unlatch these stupid collars without them noticing?_

Kaiden took the stick from Jack and responded:

_By using this. These collars are like the touchscreen on devices. _

Jack sighed and looked out at the little lake in front of them. The moon smiled its rays down on the lake and the students hanging out by the shore.

Jack glanced over to Kaiden who continued to write in the sand:

_No matter what, we'll get out of here. I promise._

* * *

_**7 students in running**_


End file.
